Inside The Rockets

Rockets Use Third Quarter Comeback to Beat Grizzlies

The Houston Rockets have their first win of the season after beating the Memphis Grizzlies.

Jeremy Brener

Oct 25, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) drives to the basket as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) defends during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) drives to the basket as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) defends during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Houston Rockets are in the win column for the first time this season after beating the Memphis Grizzlies 128-108 at the Toyota Center on Friday night.

While the Grizzlies pulled out to a lead as large as 12 points in the first half, the Rockets stayed the course and found a way to attack in the second half.

In the third quarter, the Rockets went on a 17-0 run and outscored the Grizzlies 39-18 in the frame to completely turn the game upside down, leading to the win.

All five Rockets in the starting lineup scored in double digits, including a team-high 22 points from Jalen Green, who continues to build off of his strong performance in the season opener against the Charlotte Hornets. Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. each had a double-double for the Rockets, helping them out-rebound the Grizzlies 64-53.

For the Grizzlies, All-Star point guard Ja Morant scored a game-high 24 points while Desmond Bane added 17 of his own. Scotty Pippen Jr. also had a strong game, scoring 13 points off the bench.

With the win, the Rockets can build some momentum out of the gates to start the season.

Their next matchup comes tomorrow night against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, which is the first of a two-game series between the Southwest Division rivals at the Frost Bank Center.

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.

Published
Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

Home/News